Category Archives: Uncategorized

Lately I’ve noticed an influx of posts on my Facebook feed discussing issues surrounding gender stereotypes, equality and society standards. Most of which are directed towards either women and girls and their ‘place’ in today’s world.

Majority of the blogs I’ve read highlight the ideas and pressures that society has put on women from a young age. “Marriage, children and career all by 30”. Fail to tick all three boxes and you will be branded unsuccessful OR “if you have a uterus you must put a baby in it otherwise your making a mistake” OR “you shouldn’t wear so little, you might trigger a chemical reaction in a mans brain that will cause him to lose control of his actions. For which you will be responsible for.” Blah, blah, blah.

Now, if your a man and reading the above paragraph made your balls shrivel and testosterone drop instantly, feel free to take a backseat because the following is not addressed to you.

After reading really opinionated blogs about feminism, social equality etc, I always scroll through the comments section. Because lets be honest, that’s where shit gets real.
One comment stood out and it was from a man. To place a direct quote he said:

“why do women care so much about other women? Men really don’t give a shit.”

That honest comment made me laugh like crazy mainly because it made so many women mad as hell. *shocker*

I thought about it for awhile and it’s true to say that Gandalf_24 was right.
Women are the main fuel source behind most of these ideas. Ironically, women insist other women must have children before their biological clock runs out and they die miserably.
They must seek marriage before they become expired goods. The list goes on. As women we have a horrible tendency to make these assumptions and perhaps can’t see we are contributing heavily to these ideas.

This is not about gender equality, feminism or social standards. My opinion is shaped around the idea that women need to cease judging other women around these issues. I personally have definitely been guilty of this. Considering the century we live in women no longer do what they used to back in the 50’s. Hell, we have generations that will never know what a CD is let alone be aware of the 50’s. So why do we hang onto to these ideals that are no longer realistic? And why do we push them on other women but get all defensive if they get push onto us?

Call it my own personal opinion but men really don’t give a shit. Seriously. I’ve had this confirmed by several reliable sources*.

I guess my overall point is some views on women are terribly out dated and as women we should make a conscious effort to stop pushing certain values on other women.

Yet, some will not agree and will continue to remind me that I’m still an unmarried female with a child. To those women I will politely say please…..

Relationships are beautiful whether romantic or platonic. They allow you to venture into another beings world, while consciously allowing them into yours. Some are easily built on sand, which in turn are just as easily swept away. Others that are more important and tend to be build on solid ground and can often with stand the most turbulent situations.

A few months back I lost one of the most influential persons in my life and my dearest friend. She played a significant role in majority of my fondest memories and indirectly sculpted who I am today. She managed to leave her impression on many people but this post is about the impression she left on me.

I’ve had this blog post sitting in my draft for the last 7 weeks and every time I approach it I find myself hitting an awkward brick wall. My stumble? How do you describe the most eccentric character to ever be apart of your life? How do you articulate your feelings towards your closest and dearest friend?

She wasn’t an angel or a saint. But truthfully she had a big heart with a mouth twice the size. She did things that made most people question her sanity but made her close friends laugh in hysterics. I can’t begin to describe how precious she was and still is to me.

Because of her my high school years we’re nothing but pure laughter and genuine happiness. I remember specifically being extremely lost on the days she wasn’t there. She was loud, infectious and way to intelligent for her own good.

She was in every aspect of the title ‘my best friend’.

That’s why losing her so suddenly was momentarily paralyzing and beyond heart braking.

It only been a few months but I still struggle with her absence and truthfully, I know I could have been a better friend.

So to my dear friend I want to thank you….

For your friendship. It meant everything to me and I’m sorry I didn’t show you that more often.

For being you. Because it allowed ‘me to be me’. Through the nature of your character you indirectly showed me not to care about what others may think. You taught me, to be me.

For showing up to school with lunch for two…. well at least for the 2 out of 5 days you actually showed up to school.

For being my sound board when I needed to unload my emotional burden.

For your ridiculous laugh! It always hurt my ears but made my day that much brighter.

Most importantly….

Thank you for the happiness you brought to my adolescent years. I know you never thought much of yourself but you were worth more than you could ever realize. I wish you loved yourself as much as I did.

Thank you for honestly being a true friend, even when I wasn’t to you.

Although your life was far too brief I feel as if you managed to cramp 90 years of living into 24. I wish I was by your side in your darkest moments and perhaps things would have turned out differently. For this I’m truly sorry.
We all wish you stayed longer but hell, you never listened to anyone anyway.

Where ever you are I hope your at peace. Rest my dear friend and when you get a chance… please give me the next winning lotto numbers.

Currently, we’re day 4 into 2015. At the commencement of every new year we all get that surge of motivation. We think new, fresh and big. We also know that once the holidays end, work starts up, life can kick back up and that motivation can fade.

Instead of setting a new years resolutions this year I came across an interesting idea from a fellow blogger, amazing writer and friend Bliss and Baby Brain. The idea is to come up with a WORD. A powerful word. A word that you will keep dear and let it carry you through the next 365 days and beyond if necessary. I have a million words that roam my mind so it’s quite difficult to narrow it down to just one. So my word for the year.

TRY

A three letter word that carries a lot of weight. I settled on this word for many reasons. In 2014 I felt I put a lot of things on pause so I could concentrate on getting this ‘being a parent’ thing right. Although I have yet to master this like Angelina Jolie, 2015 is the year to press life’s play button.

Without the super power of knowing the future, we do not know what happens when we try. On the other hand we do know what happens if we don’t. Simply put, nothing happens if we don’t try. So, when an opportunity presents itself the word TRY will play a major part in my decision making process.

Whether trying means I passionately succeed or fail abysmally, at least I know I tried and will keep trying.

Here’s to 2015.

Lisa x

‘I can accept failure but I can not accept not trying.’ – Michael Jordan

2014 is the year I became a mother for the first time. This experience gave me both heart palpitations and a minor stoke. To be quite honest, this was not planned. Considering I was the girl who had a magical plan in my head as how I was going to bring kids into this world. The plan was, first I would marry either Joseph Gordon Levitt or Dwayne Johnson and we live happily in a million dollar Miami Mansion. Then at 30, just like Beyonce, I would plan to have my first child. He or she would be born into my financially wealthy lifestyle, with a 10 bedroom house, have the ability to travel the world and I would not get one stretch mark. Did I say plan? I meant unrealistic fantasy.

As fate would have it (or a lapse in sensible decision making) I fell pregnant at 23. I remember feeling ill for a week, then two weeks, then three weeks. I figured since I was early winter that I had caught some kind of super bug that wasn’t going away, I laugh at this now. Out of pure curiosity I took an at home pregnancy test. Low and behold …. negative. Weight off my shoulders and off to the liquor store I went (I’m joking, I sent Brandon instead). Still feeling miserable and suspiciously nauseous I take a second test a couple weeks later. Then again only one pretty line appeared, negative.

It just so happened to be by chance that pregnancy test had a ‘buy two get one free’ deal on at the pharmacy. I guess this is for the dumb asses like me that take the first two test too early. So I decide you use the third one about a week later, you know just for fun.

HOLY SHIT BALLS.

The WHAT THE F*#K is that second line doing there!? This test is broken! Where’s the complaints phone number? They sold me a dodgy test, someones already pee’d on this one! After this came a few tears followed by buckets of them. I was floored. This was not my plan. However, as much of a cold punch this was to the system, I couldn’t help but have a little smile creep in.

After the dust had settled and the nerves had worn off I told my partner Brandon. Then we went back to square one and cried all over again. We had it confirmed by the doctor who kindly said “congratulations” as I sobbed uncontrollably in her office. Then she strategically slipped me a variety of pamphlets. One so epicly titled “Teen pregnancy. What should I do?” Thanks bitch but I was 23 and hardly a teen. We drove around for about an hour, kind of in a blank daze. Not really knowing what to say to one another.

About a week past and at that stage I can honestly say we did consider having a termination. Not out of selfishness or unwillingness to have kids, but out of pure fear of “we don’t know what the hell we’re doing!” We couldn’t grasp the concept of us being parents when most times we forget to feed the cat. We didn’t think it was in our capabilities to take care of and raise a child. The turning point was when we discussed this. Neither one of us could come up with a genuine reason besides fear to go through with a termination. So, we can’t just drop everything and go out clubbing. So what! We can’t selfishly spend our money on ourselves anymore? Who cares!All these little details just did not matter and still don’t matter.

We made the best decision we ever have and I doubt there will be another to top it. Having a kid in 2014 was not the plan, but to be honest I’ve never stuck to plans anyway. I’m the type of person who consistently writes a grocery list of veggies, meat and health foods. Then forget the list at home and come home with chocolate ice cream to go with my chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles.

Moral of the story? For me, it’s that things happen. Screw your plan. You can either fall in defeat or rise to challenge. Guess what? It was nowhere near as horrifically terrifying as people make it out to be.

To contradict many theories about having children. No, your life is not over. No, you will not be broke. No, you do not have to be anti-social and lose all your friend (although the ones you do lose won’t matter).

Yes, you can still achieve your life goals. Yes, your can still travel the world. Yes, you can still have friends. Yes, you can still go out for dinners, attend parties, go shopping, head to the movies. Although these thing may take a little bit of extra effort they are still possible. More than anything though, Yes, It means life will change for all the right reasons.

Life’s journey is about striving for your idea of success and happiness. I’m just lucky now have a permanent little buddy by my side the whole way..

“What it’s like to be a parent: It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.” ― Nicholas Sparks

Today I moaned about the weather. It’s December here in New Zealand which historically marks the beginning of Summer. Well, like typical NZ fashion, it’s been raining constantly for the last week and tonight there will be thunder storms.

I moaned about my semi-warm coffee I bought and the fact that due the crappy weather my hair had restored itself back to it’s frizzy state. I got annoyed at having to take public to work, hell – I was annoyed at having to work.

Then I read the news.

The Sydney Hostage situation. The mass killing of 141 children in Pakistan. Then thought, “What the fuck am I moaning about!?’ When events like these happen around the world there is no silver lining.

Let this be an unfortunate reminder to be grateful for our own problems. Be grateful for those bills, at least they are not bullets. Have gratitude for the homework given from a school that is safe and functional. Spend time with your family for as long as they are on this earth.

Last Month I turned 24. It’s not a mile stone but still significant in its own right. In 24 years I have grown my knowledge, learnt valuable lessons and developed skills. Although most would say my journey is in its early stages, there are a few points in life in which I have already made my mind up on. I actually got this blog post idea from a gorgeous friend of mine. Check her blog out if you want to re-defy and expand what you think you know about music. www.dovesdiary.com

Here’s 24 things I think are invaluable and worth noting down….

1. Take care of your body, it’s the only one you have and will ever get.

2. Thank others. Regardless of whether someone holds a door open for you or saves you life. Always say thank you.

5. Realize your features are what you were born with. That big nose you think you have or those ‘no-gap’ having thighs are all part of you. They come from some who lived before you whether it be your mother or as far back as your great-great grandfather.

6.Once in awhile make an indulgent purchase. Shoes, Books, furniture whatever make you momentarily happy.

7. Your allowed sad days once in a blue moon. On these days stay home, eat popcorn and watch a movie. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

8.Always help the elderly. Whether they need it or not, at least offer.

9. When people come to your house offer tea/coffee/water whatever. Don’t let this act of politeness fade away.

10. Expand your music collection. You would be amazed what golden songs stay out of your radio stations rotation.

11. Say yes sometimes even when you feel like saying no. You never know what could eventuate and it could be beautiful.

12. There is never a RIGHT time to do anything e.g have kids. If things happen then they are meant to be and you either fall because of it or rise to the challenge.

13. When bad things happen (which they do), Take it. Embrace it. Then move on with your life…

14. Spend time with family or the ones that are just as close. If I need to explain why then It’s obvious you need to do this ASAP.

15. Make an effort for good friends. The amount of good friends you have you can normally count on one hand.

16. Cut back on the cheap fast-food. It’s like a one-night stand. Every so often it relives a craving but have it too much and you’ll regret it every time.

17. Your parents/family should be your only role models.

18.Don’t go to over priced cafes just because of the statues. Go if the food is actually good. Majority of my favourite spots are hidden in underground food courts and cheap as anything. Expensive does not mean good.

19. Staying on the subject of food, be open. Try other cultural tastes and dining experiences.

20. The world nor anyone in it owes you anything. Unless they borrowed money and you want it back, but other than that…..

21.Before you react to anything, take a step back. Swallow your pride and look at it from another perspective. This way you can react truthfully and unbiasedly.

22. Exercise. Even I hate this one but without some form of exercise you’ll become lazy and lazy people don’t survive in a Zombie Apocalypse

23. Smile at strangers.

24. Just do nice things for others. Why? Because it’s just a damn nice thing to do. There doesn’t always have to be something in it for you.

Majority of my time spent on YouTube is spent either watching the latest music release or perfecting my ‘winged eye-liner look’, These minutes feel empty. Frequently, I address my potato like state when I think “I’m sure I could be doing something more productive with my time”. With that being said I still type in ‘Kevin Hart’ and proceed with my evening.

I sometimes forget the internet is drenched in knowledge that can strengthen our brains, instead of depleting cells.

Below is a golden example. Normally the world’s funny man, Jim Carrey delivered an emotionally stimulating speech to the 2014 MUM Graduates. He spoke honestly and happily about the powers and talent we hold as individuals.

What I found most appealing about Carrey’s speech lies in both his content and the delivery. Carrey spoke truthfully about his view on life and how his mindset got him to where his is today. His delivery of the speech can only be described as genuine. His enthusiasm, expressions and subtle hints of humor left no room for doubt that he – with all his power – 100% belieived in every word that left his mouth. This was refreshing to see. I adored every word of this presentation and I have faith that you will too.